Adequate Vitamin D Intake Important for Maintaining Health

Vitamin D plays a number of important roles in the body, so when we become deficient it has a big effect on our health and how well the body is able to function. It affects everything from your mood, your immune system, your cells, and your bones and muscles.

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because it can be produced in the body with mild sun exposure. There aren’t many foods that contain vitamin D, so it is fairly easy to become deficient. This is especially true if you don’t consume the foods that contain vitamin D or spend a lot of time indoors. Those who live in a northern climate may also become deficient in vitamin D during winter months where days are shorter and sunlight is sparser.

It supports your immune system and helps to fight infections, including colds and the flu as it regulates the expressions of genes that influence your immune system to attack and destroy bacteria and viruses. Getting adequate amounts of vitamin D can help you stay healthy during the cold and flu season.

As an immune system modulator, it is important for the prevention of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Vitamin D regulates and controls genes. This is why vitamin D controls so many different functions in the body.

Given the number of systems in the body that are impacted by vitamin D, being deficient can cause a number of health concerns. Vitamin D deficiency affects more than half of the population but is rarely diagnosed. Some symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include feeling blue or down, achy bones, and muscle weakness. You may also find that you more easily catch a cold or the flu.

There are steps you can take to prevent vitamin D deficiency.

Enjoy some time in the sun. Almost all of the vitamin D we need comes from the sun, and just 10 minutes is all you need for your body to synthesize enough vitamin D.

About the Author

Kristin works as a health coach at Max Health. Prior to completing her M.S. in Health Communication, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a B.S. in Health Care Administration. Through her studies, Kristin has gained insight into the many aspects of the health care environment such as practice standards, quality management, process measurement, operations management, reimbursement systems, medical terminology, epidemiology, health care law, and marketing. Kristin also has a passion for helping others live a healthy lifestyle by empowering them through health education. For more information, please contact Kristin at kristin@healthcomu.com.

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